Artist: Villagers

Irish music's great white hope for 2009, Conor O'Brien & Co take to the stage at Crawdaddy for the third show of their first headline tour. To say that this band have been hyped up for 2009 would be an understatement, and often this level of attention can prove to be unnerving. Will this be the case for Villagers? Pros The place is sold out, and even though a jam packed venue might usually imply drunken chatting and spilling of beer, very little of the sort is to be seen [...]

Live review: Villagers - Crawdaddy, Dublin

Feb 23, 2009, 2:23pm

Live review: Villagers - Crawdaddy, Dublin

With only a handful of live outings under their belt, the band simply known as Villagers are already being looked to as a new hope. The release of a four-song EP entitled Hollow Kind has shifted the heat up a notch. It's now Saturday night, and there's something subtly quaking throughout Crawdaddy tonight. Once openers Jon Dots' "I'm mad, me" frontman has finished rolling around on stage, various Villagers begin to tune up and get levels in order. Little big chief Conor O'Brien shuffles out to attend to his slender acoustic and some audience [...]

Sunday's Seven Degrees of Lost Bands

Feb 22, 2009, 5:54am

2 U I Bestow

In Ireland now like a lot of the world is experiencing a massive re-adjustment. Life seems to be spiralling back to the 1980's at a fierce rate where unemployment was high, emigration dominated family life and money was scarce. However culturally Ireland was alive and kicking. The child of the 1980's produced many fine bands who are no more. Below are Delorentos and six more samples from recent bands who should not be forgotton. Leya - In Our Hands [ More info ] Label [Terry Sutton, Binzer, Simon Good, Shane Fitzsimons] - [...]

Artist: Delorentos
Title: All This Time
Link Text: All This Time
File Name: 02 All This Time.mp3
Bitrate: 128 kbps

Artist: Immediate
Title: Praying For Sunshine
Link Text: Praying For Sunshine
File Name: 03_praying_for_sunshine.mp3
Bitrate: 197 kbps
Year: 1996

Artist: label
Title: No One to Blame
Link Text: No One To Blame
File Name: 02 No One to Blame.mp3
Bitrate: 128 kbps
Year: 2003

Artist: Leya
Title: In Our Hands
Link Text: In Our Hands
File Name: 03 In Our Hands.mp3
Bitrate: 128 kbps
Year: 2006

Artist: The Chalets
Title: Love Punch
Link Text: Love Punch
File Name: 13. Love Punch.mp3
Bitrate: 192 kbps
Year: 2005

Artist: The Prayer Boat
Title: Paralysed
Link Text: Paralysed
File Name: 09 Paralysed.mp3
Bitrate: 128 kbps
Year: 2000

Artist: wallmark
Title: Dryland
Link Text: Dryland
File Name: 04 Dryland.mp3
Bitrate: 128 kbps
Year: 2005

Interview: Villagers

Feb 5, 2009, 9:42pm

His previous band, The Immediate imploded just as they were about to ignite, but Conor O'Brien is back with a new project which already has State feeling very giddy indeed. Sitting in a bar on South William Street on a crisp and dark Monday evening, Conor J. O' Brien is attempting to chart his experiences of the last 19 months. Though he has a new project called Villagers about to launch in February, it is almost impossible to talk about his musical notions without mentioning his former band The Immediate, which he does fleetingly and frequently [...]

Video: Villagers - The Meaning of the Ritual

Feb 4, 2009, 7:28pm

Conor O' Brien made this video himself. Plenty of more Villagers love on this blog . Go and see Conor and friends on his upcoming tour. I hear he has a special guest floating along with him. The tour starts tomorrow night in Waterford, then Galway, Clonakilty, Cork City, Dundalk, Dublin and Mullingar. Villagers - The Meaning of the Ritual Villagers - Down, Under the Sea If you like this try: [...]

Ruby Sessions return 3rd Feb

Jan 28, 2009, 3:37pm

2 U I Bestow

.... and return they do with a strong line up of talent! In Doyles Pub upstairs, The Villagers , Saville , Niall Colfer , and Share..... (Sonny & Share?) play an acoustic set to try to put the Session into an Irish Recession! (I love that line!) The Villagers: Ship Of Promises http://www.myspace.com/rubyses sions

Album News: The Villagers - Hollow Kind EP

Jan 21, 2009, 7:10am

Swear I'm Not Paul

Album News: The Villagers - Hollow Kind EP

The Villagers will release their debut EP, Hollow Kind on February 9th 2009. It could be a big year for Conor O'Brien and the Villagers, as he's widely tipped to make it big in the Irish scene. As for now, Nialler9 has two of the songs from the EP on his blog, here: http://www.nialler9.com/2009/0 1/19/premiere-villagers-hollow -kin/ And they're good. Damn good!

Premiere: Villagers - 'The Meaning of the Ritual'

Jan 19, 2009, 2:04pm

Premiere: Villagers - 'The Meaning of the Ritual'

Since the first inklings of Conor J. O' Brien's new Villagers project was whispered about in the latter part of 2008, that whisper has become a loud swoon thanks to a handful of impressive live shows and a couple of myspace demos. I saw the band support Halves in November and was thoroughly impressed with the songcraft, arrangements and performance. As a result, Villagers featured on the cover of the latest (and digital-only) issue of State with some stunning photography from Rich Gilligan . Now I am pleased to say that Conor has allowed me [...]

Villagers - The Meaning Of The Ritual

Artist: Villagers
Title: The Meaning Of The Ritual
Link Text: Villagers - The Meaning of the Ritual
File Name: Villagers_-_The_Meaning_Of_The _Ritual.mp3
Bitrate: 192 kbps
Year: 2009

Premiere: Villagers - Hollow Kind EP

Jan 19, 2009, 2:04pm

State Issue 10 & an announcement

Jan 14, 2009, 12:34pm

The announcement of a new issue of State is usually a cause for celebration. In this case, our tenth issue is tinged with a certain sadness. This month is a little different to what's gone before as there will be no printed version of this issue. It has been a real year of ups and downs for the magazine. We've had a ball in the last twelve months but circumstances beyond our control have interfered. We always felt the magazine was something which was sorely missing from the dialogue around music in Ireland, which judged Irish artists on the same [...]

Villagers announced first headline show

Dec 16, 2008, 6:58am

Villagers solo performance - 'On A Sunlit Stage' (Bathroom Session)

More than any other Irish band over the last three months, none have been spoken about in more hushed and excited tones than Villagers the new project from Conor O'Brien, formerly of The Immediate. Now Villagers have announced that a debut EP called Hollow Kind is released next February and a launch gig will take place in Crawdaddy on February 21st. Hollow Kind was written and performed solely by Conor, recorded by guitarist Tommy McLaughlin, and released by drummer James Byrne on his 'Any Other City' label in [...]

Villagers: A guitar and a heart

Nov 24, 2008, 7:07am

After seeing Conor O' Brien's new band Villagers support Halves (Purveyors of groovy bell action) on Saturday , I felt I had witnessed the start of something completely enthralling, a band that are sure to be doing some big things in '09. Essentially, O' Brien's solo project it may be but he has surrounded himself with a great band, two of which feature regularly in One Day International . O' Brien himself is a captivating singer, the kind that closes his eyes. moves away from the mic and still blindly knows his exact position on [...]

Villagers - Twenty-Seven Strangers

Nov 22, 2008, 1:53pm

mp3hugger

On the occasion of Cass McCombs awkwardly sublime performance in Whelan's last weekend those in attendance were also treated to a fresh new band from Dublin called Villagers. There was so many of them (well, 5 anyway) the stage seemed a bit strangled but all that was forgotten when the Conor O'Brien led troupe caught fire. And believe me we are going to be hearing plenty more from this band,

Villagers - Twenty-Seven Strangers

Artist: Villagers
Title: Twenty-Seven Strangers
Link Text: Villagers - Twenty-Seven Strangers
File Name: Villagers - Twenty-Seven Strangers.mp3
Bitrate: 192 kbps

Cooking With Max Tundra

Nov 12, 2008, 12:50pm

Clinic and Max Tundra play the Village tonight as part of the Heineken green synergy Clinic deliver a warped techni-colour celebration. Animator Clemens Habicht will collaborate on visuals in what is being dubbed a contemproary vortex of psychedelic sight and sound. And of course the mighty Max Tundra. Gig starts at 8 and tickets are €15

Analogue Birthday Party

Oct 16, 2008, 5:18am

Analogue magazine celebrates it's Birthday tonight in Bodytonic's new Twisted Pepper venue on abbey street. As well as Mr. Jones' regular Thursday mix of bassline/baltimore/electro downstairs courtesy of Mark Lam and Scutchie , the stage will play host to some eclectic & no doubt excellent performances. Headlining will be Spilly Walker , a live set from David & Rob Kitt's electro venture. Also on the night will be a performance from egoeccentric favorite Patrick Kelleher , this time playing with the illustrious Come Back Johnnys . Finally [...]

Villagers

Sep 30, 2008, 7:19am

Those saddened by the demise of The Immediate may soon be rejoicing as Conor O' Brien steps out from backing band duties for Cathy Davey to release an EP under the moniker of Villagers in December or January. Two songs are posted on his myspace at the moment - 'The Meaning of The Ritual' which transmutes from humble organ beginnings to a spectral end and the deceptively sparse yet comely 'Home'. Conor has gathered a band together for recording purposes which includes drummer James Byrne, Cormac Curran on keys, Danny Snow on bass (both of One [...]

Yes, I Was the Twat Talking at the Back

Sep 9, 2008, 10:04am

Song, by Toad

I fucking hate it when people go to gigs and talk all the way through the bastard things. If you don't want to pay any fucking attention to the songs, then piss off to another fucking pub. This is Edinburgh, there are thousands of places to go, so why don't you just piss off somewhere else? Secondly, it's just plain fucking rude. So what could be more mortifying than to find myself at the Kays Lavelle gig at the Village in Leith last Friday, actually being the one talking [...]

Artist: Hothouse Flowers
Title: Shut Up And Listen
Link Text: Hothouse Flowers - Shut Up and Listen
File Name: HothouseFlowers-ShutUpAndListe n.mp3
Bitrate: 256 kbps
Year: 1990

Artist: The Coathangers
Title: Shut Tha Fuck Up
Link Text: The Coathangers - Shut Tha Fuck Up
File Name: TheCoathangers-ShutThaFuckUp.m p3
Bitrate: 192 kbps

Artist: The Kays Lavelle
Title: Swanfields
Link Text: The Kays Lavelle - Swanfields
File Name: TheKaysLavelle-Swanfields.mp3
Bitrate: 192 kbps

Artist: The Wedding Present
Title: Always The Quiet One
Link Text: The Wedding Present - Always the Quiet One
File Name: TheWeddingPresent-AlwaysTheQui etOne.mp3
Bitrate: 256 kbps
Year: 2005

FOREVER presents Rest, Hooray For Humans, Rarely Seen Above Ground, El Bastardo

Aug 7, 2008, 9:44am